One of the funded proposals aims to develop a canid
disease monitoring plan. This winter, Louisiana State University graduate student,Kristin, has been collecting
ectoparasites from wild red wolves and coyotes captured in northeastern North
Carolina. These samples are part of a larger
study examining red wolf immunocompetence, but she has also taken this opportunity
to expand assess our knowledge of disease occurrence and
frequency in red wolves, and the efficacy of current red wolf vaccination
programs. The next step is to perform
initial synthesis and evaluation to provide an understanding of recovery needs
and identify knowledge gaps related to red wolf disease risks and the utility
of preventive care applications. To
assist this process, Will, the RWSSP Coordinator, and Dr. Karen, the Veterinarian Advisor
(both at PDZA) visited the Red Wolf Recovery Area last
month to help with the review.

Art and Cameron restrain wolf while Dr. Karen and Will examine her.

Dr. Karen examines restrained wolf

While they were in town, Dr. Karen was able to examine
several captive animals as well as recently captured wild red wolves for body
condition. She is using this information
for another project funded by ConCom to
determine the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the red wolves.
IBD appears to be an emerging concern for red wolves in the PDZA zoo-based
population. PDZApersonnel are currently evaluating if IBD is a concern for the
overall red wolf population and will provide funding to determine if
non-invasive diagnostic tests used in domestic dogs can be applied to red
wolves.

Dr. Karen was also able to examine 11964F, a wild
red wolf that was recently trapped and sustained a toe injury. Dr. Jay at the Outer Banks Veterinary Hospital treated her locally in January.
Fortunately, with time, the foot healed properly and we were able to
release her back into her natal territory.

Released 11964F. Photo: B. Bartel/USFWS.

It was a terrific visit. A big thanks to Kristin for all her winter sampling and hard work and to all of the vets that help treat and care for the red wolves!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Alligator River
National Wildlife Refuge and the Red Wolf Recovery Program
offer you the opportunity to learn more about red wolves at the only place in
the world where they still exist in the wild! Meet at the designated time at
the Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot off of Miltail Rd./Hwy 64 for a chance
to hear the harmonious howl of this endangered species.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Recovery Program

The red wolf (Canis rufus) is one of the world's most endangered canids. Once common throughout the eastern and southcentral United States, red wolf populations were decimated by the early part of the 20th Century as a result of intensive predator control programs and the degradation and alteration of the species' habitat. The red wolf was designated an endangered species in 1967, and shortly thereafter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated efforts to conserve the species. Today, more than 100 red wolves roam their native habitats in eastern North Carolina, and nearly 200 red wolves are maintained in captive breeding facilities throughout the United States. To learn more about red wolves, please visit our website at www.fws.gov/redwolf.

[All photos are the property of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and are in the public domain. You are free to use them as you wish - no permission is necessary. However, we ask that you give credit to the photographer and/or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (example, Photo credit: John Doe/USFWS)].